Radisson, Sask. uses social media to fight flooding

People in Radisson are using social media to keep flood waters from destroying their town.

The town's Facebook page is proving to be an invaluable tool for marshalling volunteers at crisis points – no more so than last night.

Michelle Nelson is the page administrator. She said that at about 9:45 p.m. CST she took a call on the 24-hour emergency line in the town office. Water was rising near Highway 16 and a house was in imminent danger of getting drowned.

She told CBC that she put a call for volunteers on the Facebook page, and then canvassed a few nearby homes for help.

There were 20 vehicles and 30 people stacking sandbags, she said. They were able to buttress the house with 400 sandbags and keep the water away.

She's blown away by the impact of social media.

"It puts a whole new light on how useful it is, to get an emergency response like that," Nelson said.

"It makes it less a form of entertainment."

Are you in or near a flood zone? Send your stories, photos and videos to sasknews@cbc.ca.